Road sign



ug. 24, 1937. H, T CH|NN 2,090,783

ROAD SIGN l Filed Oct. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 24, 1937.

H. T. CHINN ROAD SIGN Filed oct. 19, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Patented ug. 24, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFRE 3 Claims.

vThis invention relates to portable signs, and more particularly to portable road signs used on public highways to warn motorists of the danger incident to workmen repairing an open highway.

An important object of the invention is to provide a sign of this character which is not only portable, but one which may be folded into .a small and compact article requiring but little space for storing or transportation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sign including a tubular container in which a danger sign may be positioned when not in use, thereby insuring ready access to the flag when the sign is to be set up.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention hereinafter disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portable sign constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the sign, illustrating the sign boards as in their folded position, portions of the container or body portion of the sign being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the sign in its extended position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the sign stand, portions of the legs being broken away.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view through one form, of flag staif.

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the modified form of flag sta used in connection with the sign.

. Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates the body portion of the sign, which is tubular in formation, the upper end of the body portion being closed by the screw plug 6. The lower end of the body portion is closed by the member 'I which is substantially triangular in plan, the member 'I being formed with openings through which the leg members 8 which support the body portion, are extended.

The inner ends of the leg members 8, are connected by the ring 9 which is constructed of yieldable material, so that when the leg members are folded and moved into the tubular body portion, the leg members will be urged outwardly against the wall of the body portion, frictionally holding the leg members in their inactive positions, against accidental displacement.

When the leg members 8 are moved to their extended positions, the weight of the body portion will be suicient to hold the leg members extended. Secured to the body portion 5, and extended longitudinally thereof, is a tubular container 9', the upper end of the tubular container being normally closed by means of the plug I0, `which is formed with an annular groove II in which the pivoted latch I2 engages, normally holding the plug in its closing position. Mounted within the tubular container 9', is a coiled spring I3 which is compressed against one end of the tubular container 9 when the flag staff, to be hereinafter more fully described, is forced into the tubular container 9'.

The ag staff comprises a main section I4, handle I5, and a removable section I6, the removable section I6 having an extension at one end thereof adapted to t into an opening in one end of the handle I5. Pins I I are provided in the removable section I6 and are adapted to pierce the flag or danger signal supported by the staff, when the sections I4 and I6 are brought into clamping relation with the flag, securing the flag to the staff. The outer ends of the sections I4 and I6, are held together by means of the ferrule I8, providing a removable securing means.

A modified form of signal flag is shown by Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, and in this form of the invention, the staif which is indicated by the reference character I 9, is constructed of sheet metal material bent in such a way as to provide wide longitudinal clamping members 20 between which the cloth flag indicated by the reference character 2 I, is gripped. The clamping members 20 are held into clamping relation with the cloth flag 2|, by means of the tubular member 22, which is also constructed of sheet metal and split longitudinally to permit the member 22 to be slid over the clamping members 20, as shown by Figure 9 of the drawings. One end of the tubular member 22 is adapted to be placed in an opening or bore formed in one end of the handle 23, which is pointed so that it may be forced into the ground surface. The sign board on which the warning indicia are formed, embodies a stationary section 25 secured to the body portion of the sign by welding and a movable section 26, the movable section 26 being pivotally connected to the section 25, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawings. Secured to the upper edge of the movable section 26, is a pivoted arm 21, which carries a pair of spring ngers 23 adapted to engage over the upper edge of the stationary section 25 of the sign board, when the movable section is moved to its active position, or in a position to display the indicia on the sign board, so that the movable section of the sign board will be held in its extended position.- A pair of spring fingers 29 also extend from the arm 21 and are adapted to engage over the upper edges of the stationary section 25 and the movable sec.

section and stationary section are held against movement, by the spring ingers29. i

From the foregoing it will be Vseen that due tothe construction shown and described, I have provided aY road sign which may be readily and easily moved or transported from place to place, the construction of the device being such that it Willconsume very little space in transporta- It will also be seen that the various elements of the sign may beV moved from a collapsed position to an extended or active position Without the use cf tools of any type.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: I

l. A portable sign comprising a body portion, a sign board mounted on the body portion and including a stationary section and a pivoted section, an arm pivotally mounted at the upper end of the stationary section, oppositely disposed spring ngers mounted at the free end of the arm, certain of the spring ngers adapted to clamp the pivoted section hol-ding the pivoted section in its open position, and certain of the spring fingers adapted to clamp both the stationary section and pivoted section when the pivoted section is in a closed position, securing the pivoted section in its closed position.

2. A portable sign comprising a body portion, a sign board including a stationary section and a section pivotally connected to the stationary section, mounted on the body portion, said pivoted section adapted to swing to a position in parallel relation with the stationary section when the sign board is closed, an arm pivotally Amounted on the upper edge of the stationary section and adapted to clamp the pivoted section to the stationary section, and said arm being of a length to engage over the upper edge of the pivoted section to hold the pivoted section in an extended position.

3. A portable sign comprising a body portion, a sign board mounted on the body portion and including a stationary section and a pivoted section, an arm pivotally mounted at the upper end of the stationary section, spring ngers mounted at the outer end of the arm and said arm being of a length to move to aposition over the upper edge of the pivoted section to grip the upper end of the pivoted section holding the pivoted section in an extended position.

HOWARD T. CHINN. 

